Fodder-rack.



A. E. MILLER.

FODDER RACK. APPLICATION FiLED" MAR. 24. 1917.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTOH AlberZZZM/LZZer WITNESSES mum ATTORNEY N am ronnER-RAc To allwhiom it may concern: i Be it known that LALBnnr E MrnLnm a citizen of the .United' States, residing at Genese'o, in the county of Henry and useful Improvements in Fodder-Itacks, -of which'the following is aspecificat on. T i This invention relates .to racks. for, holding fodder of various sorts-and morefparti cu-f la rly for holding greenfcorn. fodder.

One of the, main objects of the a invention I Further objects will appear fromthe detail description;

theflrawi es a v .Figure -1 is a side view of .arack zconstructed in accordancewith my invention asused,

Fig. 2 is a top plan ofthe rack,

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 30f Fig, Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 1;, 1;.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the construction of the end portion of the rack.

The body of the rack is composed of four parallel beams 1, 2, 3, and 4:, mounted in parallel spaced relation, and all of the same length. The beams are held against spreading by clamps composed of an upper cross piece 6 and a lower cross piece 7 mounted above and beneath the beams, respectively, these cross pieces extending laterally of the outer beams and being secured tightly together by suitably spaced bolts 8 and nuts 9 threaded thereon. The beams, together with the clamps constitute the body of the rack frame. Mounted between the beams are suitable boards or planks 10, each board correspondingv in lengthto the beams 5, and in width to the distance apart of the beams.

The boards 10 constitute a flooring for the frame and also serve as spacing members to hold the beams in proper spaced relation preventing inward movement of the outer beams in ermed ate the end pi ces ho d tate' .of Illinois, have invented certain new a nd lf arfa i 2 9i. w ich." .a 'f uo groun'd'wh'eels'27' and 28."'Th'e clip's'24 are f and r tconstliuct oe beiee asssl about.

' Specification of Letters Patent. PatenfedfOctgg 1917 Application filed-' lyfarcnize,felt}:S eriai i i'o. 15f7,i99. 2m,

the innerbeams 2in1prop'er spaced relation to each' other and to: the router, beam, acent the front end'i of I-tlie outer b am 1 an upwardly extendinglarml l'l 'f is secured thereto by a' bolt .12 similar arm 13 "being secured to *th'ejouter beanie inalinement transversely the rack frame with 'arm 'll. These two arms are secured jtogether 1 at their tirperendsyb'y af ro s Piece arms and the moss .piecepjco rere s form. fetairfiing, standardW-1Arms'15 Hind are similarly secured toeachof the outer beams adjacent the has; thereof so aged constitute a rear retaining racklf Each ofithese Tacks is heldin'an upwardly, directed'jslightly"inclined position by a clampfsecured a'bout :the beams closely adj ac'enti thejr'ack arms;

; 'A bols'ter 17 le sened was underside of the rack frame short {distance from the front of the'sarnei :This bolster is centrally pe tured to receive bolt I8 which is l-inserted through the pillow block 19; car: rying-the front axlef20 on which are mounted the ground wheels :21 and 22. ,A bolster 231s fse'curedto the underneath (if the rack frame remo flbm 5 6 3 1. olfthel same ai 1 may .be'formedlfr'om ,a' piece ofjtwo by'sixl n ht mhef-afi h she t f e u d by .1 PS 241m theirs a1? idil wlo k 2 ar ing the theflb llster and pillow blockfand secured "in position by .plates 27* extending beneath the axle 26 and held in position by nuts 28.

threaded on the ends of the clip. The bolster 23 is secured to the'outer beams 1 and 4 of Iited the the frame by means of clips 29 and 30, rea spectively, placed over these beams and the bolster, similar to clips 24. By this'means the rack is secured on the wagon base so as to be supported thereby and may be quickly and easily removed by the simple expedient I of removing the king bolt 18 and the secur ing clips '29 and 30, after which "the rack may be lifted as a unit from the wagon base. To permit short turns to be made, a steel arch 33 is interposed in the outer beam 1'.

This arch is curved upward and so posi-' tioned as to permit the front ground wheel 21 to turn under the same, the arch being provided at each end with an integral socketof rectangularcross section which fits snugly about the'end of the spaced portion of the beam .jand is secured thereto by means of bolts passed through the socket and th beam, the bolts for the front socket being passed through pillow block 17 so as to secure the same to the frame. A similar arch 34 is interposed in the outer beam tto accommodate the ground wheel 22. These arches also act as guards to prevent the serve as ro'ections for ri in the mate P 1 el rial of the load so as to prevent slippage of the same. This is especially true when the rack is used for holding green corn fodder which may be loaded with the stalks extending transversely of the frame, the edges of the beams serving to grip the fodder stalks v and thus materially assist in maintaining the load in proper position upon the vehicle. As this rack sits very low it is especially adapted for hauling green corn fodder V to shredders for shredding and loading the same into silos. 'Th'e' fodder can be quickly and easily loaded onto the racks, and easily removed this work being done by one person instead of two beingrequired as is the case where high racks'are used. In addition, the rack may be quickly and easily applied to the base'of any farm wagon of standard construction. This rack is also well adapted forhauling hay, sacked grain, and various other materials. It is also to be noted that a rack constructed in this manner is entirely free from'allnails and similar securing elements which are apt to become rusted and, being inserted through the material of the rack frame, to weaken the rack.

What I claim is 1. In fodder racks, a plurality ofbeams 'mounted in spaced parallel relation, transverse clamps mounted about said beams and extending above and beneath the same, and boards interposed between the beams and supported by said clamps, the clamps and boards cooperating to-hold the beams in parallel spaced relation.

2. In fodder racks, a plurality of beams mounted in parallel spaced relation, trans verse clamps secured about said beams and extending above and beneath the same, and

boards mounted between the beams, said boards corresponding in length'and width to the spaces between the beams and'cooperating with said clamps to maintain all of said beams in proper spaced relation.

' 3. In fodder racks, a plurality of beams mounted in parallel spaced'relation, pairs of transversely extended strips positioned above and beneath the beams, and constituting clamping members for securing the said beams, means for forcing the strips of each pair toward each other and forjpreventing V outward lateral movementof the outer-most of said beams, and boards supported by the lower strips of said pairs of strips interposed between the beams so as to maintain'the same in spaced relation.

In testimony whereof I affi rs emt f I V in presence of two witnesses. 7

I V ALBERT"E.MILLER.Q ywitnessesz f JOHN GREENWOOD,

ARTHUR S. OARLsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by addressing the (iommissioner of Patents,

' I Washington, D. G. I 

